The Big Red Cats ski guide course is definitely not a holiday!  It is a gruelling 3.5 month test of strength and character - combined with lots of fun.    We ran the course for the 1st time in 2009/10.   The feedback from the 4 students was good, and we've learned a lot in order to improve the program for next year, including appointing a single course coordinator, including more remote ski touring trips, and perhaps an exchange to another cat operation.  All of the students passed the Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 Operations course and the Canada Ski Guide Level 1 course.

Who should do the course?

Someone who likes a challenge. Very good skiers - must have a least a level 1 ski instructors certification; Must be very physically fit; and be interested in becoming a ski guide or very interested in getting into back-country skiing.  A 40-hour first aid course is also a prerequisite.

• Big Red Cats portion -  C$6,200 - includes luxury 3-bedroom accommodation in Slalom Creek shared with 2 other students
• CAA level 1 course - C$1300 plus hut fees if done in remote lodge, or plus lodging fees if done at a resort - we highly recommend this and will do pre-training to give you the prerequisites to get in and skills to do well.
• Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 1 course - C$2,000
• Equipment - you will need a lot of equipment to do the course (skis, avalanche safety gear etc).  We can help you get deals, but you are still looking at about C$1500 to get all the gear that you need - if you do not have it already

• 9 days doing CAA level 1 operations course - in a remote lodge
• 10 days of ski touring and small group leadership training with a qualified guide.
• 17 days of tail guiding - with Big Red Cats
• 5 days of lead guiding (working with one of our lead guides) with Big Red Cats
• 2-4 days of AST courses - conducted at Big Red Cats
• 9 days of CSGA 1 course
• 5 days of ropes training in crevasse rescue
• 3 days of winter survival and snowshelter building
• 12 days working with our snow science team and practising snow safety
• 3 days of orientatation
• 2 days of map reading and practice
• A chance to wake up early every day!
• Some great powder skiing most days!

Tracks of the 3 Powder Guide students in early Jan  - staying close to the tree band - and skied one at a time...

Here is a photo of 3 of the guides who completed the course last winter (2009/2010) Nicholas Allen in the foreground, followed by Matt Johnson and  Stefan De Laune

Here is a photo of some of the guys practicing crevasse rescue on top of Granite Mountain - Mt Roberts is in the Background.

This photo shows Matt Johnson, one of the guides on the course, skiing down the East face of Old glory - Big Terrain !

This is a photo from one of the days where the course went to Revelstoke - this is near the top of the Youngs Peak traverse in the Rogers Pass area.

This is where 3 of the guys stayed for the winter (except for the time that they were doing the CAA1 in a remote lodge) and the week that they spent in the Rogers Pass area doing ski touring.  It is conveniently right next door to the guides' room and BRC HQ.